The Scoop on Original Plumbing’s Spanking New Issue, No. 9
NEW YORK, NEW YORK — Original Plumbing, the most widely read trans male quarterly magazine in existence, has released the “Entertainment Issue” as the ninth installment in its quarterly series that has garnered an avalanche of interest from trans folk and outsiders alike in the three years since its launch.
As the largest issue yet, No. 9 features a mouth watering spread with sparkly performer and activist, Wyatt Riot–creator of the web series “Put It In Your Mouth With Wyatt Riot.” as the cover guy. And the gamut of trans-bands, musicians, and performance artists, starting with Schmekel, a queer “jewcore” band from Brooklyn; Athens Boys Choir, of “fagette” fame; Wu Tsang, a revolutionary artist, performer and filmmaker; and New York-based experimental musician, Geo Wyeth. The mag also features, Silas Howard, Rae Spoon, Lucas Silveria, Ian Harvie, Black Cracker, and Joshua Bastian Cole. And the writing of Joshua Klipp, Chase Joynt, Henry Giardina, Oliver Bendorf, and Wild Gender editor, Emerson Whitney.
“I’m really excited about this issue coming out,” said OP’s co-creator Amos Mac, in an interview with WG. ”The most fun part for me is when I get the box (of magazines) in the mail from the printer. I love looking at them for the first time. That’s really the exciting part for me, outside of making it, and getting positive feedback.”
When the first issue of OP splashed in September 2009, it sold out almost immediately. Mac, with co-editor Rocco Kayiatos, started brainstorming ways to expand the independent FTM mag. Now, OP hosts an active blogging community of trans guys on its website, and throws regular parties and performances.
Mac, who says he receives feedback from trans people who approach him to “vent,” people in small towns looking for connection, and others who contact him–elated to see the trans masculine community represented, is a major reason why he and Kayiatos work so hard on the mag.
“But the photo shoots always stand out for me,” he said. “It’s my favorite thing to do. For this issue, there’s Wu Tsang. He’s in the Whitney Biennial, has a show in MoMa, and a bunch of other major triennials and biennials. I met him in his hotel room before the Whitney and did this shoot. He’s all over the place right now in the art world, but putting him in the issue wasn’t planned at all. We were going to print in like a week, and I found out we had space. I was like ‘oh my god, I have to put him in there.’ Sometimes, that’s how this works.”
When asked what he would say to someone sheepish about picking up the mag, gender identity or not, Mac said, “I’d ask them what they are afraid of.”
Mac also sends a loving shout out to Derek Morris of Trophy Graphics, the designer who works with Kayiatos and Mac on the layout of OP.
“He’s the third silent man on this project,” said Mac. “He’s not in the community. He’s gay, not a trans man. But he puts so much time into the photos I take, and crafting it all into a beautiful portfolio.”
Besides working on topics for their next issue, the family of OP is planning summer tours. And as a side project, Kayiatos, as Rocco Katastrophe, released a new music video (shot by Mac. featuring friend Margaret Cho) for his song “Eat Everything.”
Check out the video below, and click here to order “The Entertainment Issue” from Original Plumbing.
About the Author
Wild Gender is an online magazine and creative hub born out of gratitude for the gift of full expression. We are dedicated to creative practices that celebrate gender fluidity, identity and expression. Wild Gender prioritizes visual art, creative writing, and journalistic work by trans/gender-variant individuals who have never before been published in a public venue. Run entirely by volunteers,we are always in search of writers, thinkers, and creators hoping to participate in our growing community.
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